How to talk about housing

Growth is painful for all of us who know and love this state. But we can't stop it. The question is: how do we grow? If we don't make intentional choices, we'll lose the very things that make Idaho a great place to live.

Right now, Idahoans can't afford to buy a house in the town they grew up in. Teachers, nurses, firefighters, the people who make a community work, are being priced out. We're building for people moving in without building for the people already here. Can we accept that growth will keep coming, and start asking: who does our growth serve?

Most Idahoans across the political spectrum agree housing costs are too high and support common-sense solutions. The challenge is finding the right words to move people from concern to action. Here's what the research tells us works.

START WITH COSTS

High housing costs are something every Idahoan understands, regardless of politics. Whether someone is a conservative homeowner or a young renter just starting out, this is common ground. Lead with it every time. From there, connect costs to competition, not economics. Skip the supply-and-demand lecture. People understand bidding wars, waitlists, and young families priced out of the towns where they grew up. "

Anybody who's tried to buy or rent in Idaho lately knows there simply aren't enough options, and that cutthroat competition is pushing prices out of reach for working families." Once you've made that connection, bring it back to people. The teacher who can't afford to live in the district she serves. The nurse commuting two hours a day. The senior who can't find an affordable option near family. When you focus on the neighbors everyone knows and depends on, housing stops being an abstract policy debate and starts being something personal.

THE FIVE-STEP FRAMEWORK

1. Start with costs, the universal entry point 

2. Connect costs to competition, not economics

Skip the supply-and-demand lecture. People understand competition: bidding wars, waitlists, young families priced out of the towns where they grew up. "Anybody who's tried to buy or rent in Idaho lately knows there simply aren't enough options, and that cutthroat competition is pushing prices out of reach for working families."

3. Make it about people, not structures

Focus on the neighbors everyone knows: the teacher who can't afford to live in the district she serves, the nurse commuting two hours a day, the senior who can't find an affordable option near family. "Right now, people our Idaho communities depend on, nurses, teachers, tradespeople, and small business owners, can't find homes they can afford in the places they serve."

4. Be specific and concrete

Jargon causes fear. Name real homes: duplexes, townhomes, backyard cottages, starter homes on small lots. Frame reforms as removing unnecessary restrictions that prevent homeowners from using their own property. Avoid "upzoning," "densification," and "infill."

5. Close with a positive vision

"A mix of homes at all price points will give more Idaho families the chance to own their home, build wealth, and create solid foundations of economic stability, keeping our communities vibrant and our neighbors close."

SAY THIS, NOT THAT

Jargon and abstraction cause fear. Specific, familiar home types build support. Don't say "upzoning" or "densification": instead, say duplexes, townhomes, backyard cottages, starter homes on small lots. Frame reforms as removing unnecessary restrictions that prevent homeowners from using their own property, not as imposing something new. And always close with a positive vision: more Idaho families able to put down roots, build wealth through homeownership, and stay connected to the communities they love.

A few word swaps that make a real difference: say "housing shortage" instead of "housing crisis," "more home choices" instead of "building and construction," "homes" instead of "units," and "working family housing" instead of "workforce housing." These wording choices make the difference between a conversation that opens and one that closes.

In Idaho the same core message can land differently depending on who's in the room. For conservative or property rights audiences, the most powerful frame is freedom. Government shouldn't tell a homeowner they can't build a small apartment over their garage or add a unit for a family member. Zoning restrictions take away property rights and they drive up costs for everyone. Removing them is based on conservative principles of removing red tape and regulation, letting the free market decide what housing gets built.

For business and economic development audiences, make it about competitiveness. Idaho can't grow its economy if workers can't afford to live here. More home choices near job centers helps businesses recruit and retain employees, reduces commutes, and keeps Idaho competitive. Workforce housing shortages are already a top concern for Idaho employers, and this message meets them where they are.

For community-focused audiences, the frame is belonging. We want Idaho to be a place where teachers, nurses, and tradespeople can afford to live in the communities they serve, not commute an hour each way. When the people who make a community function can't afford to stay, everyone loses something.

For homeownership and wealth-building audiences, lead with opportunity. Starter homes used to be how working families got their foot in the door. Today, zoning laws and red tape have made them nearly impossible to build. Removing those barriers gives more Idahoans a real path to owning their own home, building equity, and creating stability for the next generation.

THE BOTTOM LINE

We can't stop Idaho's growth. But we can decide who it serves. Use competition, not economics. Name real homes, not jargon. Lead with people, not policy. And always close with the vision of an Idaho where working families can put down roots, build wealth, and stay connected to the places they call home.